Asia Cup 2023: BCCI President Roger Binny, Vice President Rajiv Shukla To Travel To Pakistan On PCB Invitation

BCCI secretary, as per reports, is not travelling to Pakistan ith Binny and Shukla. It was earlier reported by Pakistani media that Shah was also sent an invitation, which was not confirmed by BCCI officials.

Roger Binny and Rajiv Shukla. (Source: ANI)

In what is a huge development in India and Pakistan cricket relations, the president of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCC)) Roger Binny and Vice President Rajiv Shukla will be traveling to the neighbouring nation after Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sent an invitation. Sources in the know of things in BCCI have said that Binny and Shukla will be the two BCCI officials who will be going to Pakistan, said a report in Indian Express.

Earlier, there were reports that PCB had sent an invitation for Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary. However, Shah reportedly had declined the idea of going to Pakistan. The cricketing ties between the two countries has been at a halt for a long time now due to the political tensions. India and Pakistan have not featured in any bilateral tournament since 2012. The last time India travelled to Pakistn was in 2008 for the Asia Cup. This gesture on part of BCCI is being seen as a positive move towards an improving situation between the two cricketing teams and boards.

BCCI had earlier refused to travel to Pakistan after they were chosen as the hosts of Asia Cup 2023. After many deliberations and discussions, PCB agreed to co-host the tournament with Sri Lanka. Pakistan, however, have got just four matches of Asia Cup and India are not touring the country. The Rohit Sharma-led side will play ll their Asia Cup matches in Sri Lanka only.

“BCCI president Binny and vice president Shukla will be going to Pakistan to watch few game. PCB had invited BCCI and as one of the key member of ACC, Binny and Shukla will be travelling to Pakistan,” a BCCI official told The Indian Express. It has also been reported that Binny and Shukla will stay in Lahore of Pakistan from September 3 to 7 and will watch group stage match between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan on the third of next month.

India play the opening game of Asia Cup 2023 on September 2 vs Pakistan at Kandy. Pakistan and Nepal will kickstart the tournament on August 30 in Multan. India, Pakistan and Nepal have been grouped together in Asia Cup. There are high chances that the two teams will meet again in the Super 4 stage of the tournament and maybe again in the final. Both sides again play each other at the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 on October 14 at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad.